Teen Thinking About Suicide

Can you give me one good reason why I should go on living my rotten life? My parents got divorced last year, and now my boyfriend wants to break up with me. School is a joke. My friends don't care. Things have been bad before, but never this bad. I keep thinking that I'd be better off dead – that maybe I should kill myself. Can you tell me why I shouldn't?

We're sorry that you're feeling so much pain. It's obvious that life is really difficult right now, and our hearts go out to you. We care about you, and we're here to help in any way we can.

In times of discouragement, it's important to focus our minds on what's true. God created you in His image, and you are His child. You are precious in His sight, and he loves you more than you can imagine. The Lord has a plan for your life that only you can fulfill (Jeremiah 29:11). He is delighted with you, and every day He rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

At this moment you may not feel like hearing any of this. You may not even believe in God. Or, you may be convinced that He's looking the other way and doesn't care about your problems. We understand your feelings. But we urge you to try and see your situation from a different point of view.

We know we can't fix anything with our words. However, if you're still thinking about ending your own life, you need to talk to someone right away about the feelings that are bringing you down. It should probably be a responsible adult – a parent, a teacher, a school counselor, a pastor, or a youth leader. If there's no one around who will listen, then pick up the phone and call one of the following numbers: the USA National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); the New Hope Telephone Counseling Center at 714-639-4673; or Covenant House at 1-800-999-9999 . You can also call Focus on the Family's Counseling department.

Things may look hopeless right now, but that's because you can't see the bigger picture. God sees everything. He is much greater than anything you're facing, and in His economy there's always a brighter day coming. If you'll turn to Him in faith and reach out for His hand, we believe He'll reveal Himself to you in a powerful way. Whether you realize it or not, He is with you at this moment, and He has promised never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).